Contrasting travel styles emerge as royal couple reunites in Australia
Queen Camilla revealed her battle with jet lag after traveling separately from King Charles to Australia for their nine-day royal tour. Upon arriving in Sydney on Friday night, when asked by Ellie Mantle, wife of Rector Michael Mantle, whether she had recovered from the lengthy flight, Camilla replied with a hesitant "sort of."
While King Charles, known for his tireless work ethic, left London on October 17 after completing several royal duties, Queen Camilla—who has a well-known fear of flying—opted for a more leisurely journey, making multiple stops.
Despite their different travel arrangements, the couple reunited on Sunday for a church service at St Thomas’ Anglican Church in North Sydney, after Queen Camilla took Saturday to rest and recuperate for their upcoming engagements.
During their first full day of royal activities in Australia, the public’s response was mixed. Some greeted Queen Camilla warmly, offering bouquets of flowers, while republican activists held banners bearing slogans such as "Empire built on genocide" and "Decolonise."
In addition, the royal couple received several gifts intended for their grandchildren, including a rugby ball, a cricket ball, and a stuffed koala, as their children enjoy a school holiday in the UK.
Following the service, King Charles made a brief visit to New South Wales Parliament House for lunch, where he presented the assembly with an hourglass before leaving in under ten minutes, exemplifying the whirlwind nature of their engagements.
During a speech, King Charles reflected on his long-standing affection for Australia. He said, "With the sands of time encouraging brevity, it just remains for me to say what a great joy it is to come to Australia for the first time as Sovereign, and to renew a love of this country and its people which I have cherished for so long," marking the significance of the occasion.
